


Townie

by Fabrisse



Series: Relationships [1]
Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Incest, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-12
Updated: 2010-11-12
Packaged: 2017-10-13 04:23:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/132789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The history of Nathan and Heidi's marriage from their first meeting to about a year after the birth of their oldest child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Townie

**Author's Note:**

> This was written at the end of season 1. SnopesFaith and Riverfox on LJ betaed.
> 
> My original notes were:  
> This came out of discussions at TwoP during the episodes Nothing to Hide and Six Months Ago about either how clueless Heidi was to the vibes between her husband and his brother or how complicit she was in the secret. Since the deleted scenes in Nothing to Hide give us Nathan at Annapolis and Angela calling Heidi a “townie” those two things have entered my personal canon. T

One of the absolute tenets of her life was that nothing would bother her.

Nathan had warned her right after she’d agreed to meet his family that his mother wouldn’t approve because his mother never did.

He’d been a gamble for her. She was the last of a kind. Old money and old politics had been the mainstays of her life.

Now, everything had changed.

Peter was dead, and somehow her husband had died too even if he was still walking around.

The dice had rolled, and Heidi had lost. Now her children were all she had.

***

They had first met at a mixer.

Her boarding school and other schools held several a semester for the freshman and sophomore girls, and as a prefect, she was expected to help chaperone at least one each term. Heidi needed to do a little negotiation to get the Annapolis mixer. After all, it was the only dance of the year where there were college boys. But a promise to cover two extra weeks as a server plus a deep appeal to Miss Carter about being able to see her family without wasting a home day gave her what she needed.

The bus arrived in plenty of time. Heidi and a friend were met by her parents and whisked off for a nice lunch before the mixer began.

The dance itself was all right. The sound system was too loud, but at least the music was live. Heidi managed to prevent one of her younger charges from walking out with a twenty-year old, and in general, everyone behaved themselves.

During the breaks between sets, the sound system played old music, the kind for the type of dancing the officer candidates didn’t learn any more. Most of the girls had gone to cotillion, as had she, so a few of them paired off and danced.

“Are the chaperones allowed to take a turn on the floor?” The voice behind her was deep and a little rough; it went straight down her spine. When she turned and saw how handsome the young man was, her knees shook.

He gave her a confidential smile, one that said he knew the effect he had. “Nathan Petrelli.”

“Heidi Abbott. And chaperones only dance if their partners are competent.”

Nathan’s smile broadened as he put an arm around her waist and whisked her expertly onto the floor.

“Am I? Competent, I mean.”

“I doubt you’d have asked me if you weren’t.”

“Do I seem that calculating to you?” He seemed genuinely interested in her answer.

“I don’t know you well enough to judge, Midshipman. But I know most young men like to show off.”

The music ended. “Very astute, Miss Abbott.”

They parted with smiles. Heidi was surprised that he didn’t ask her again later. She looked for him, but didn’t see him anywhere for the next couple of hours.

Just about the time she was beginning to gather up the girls from her school to remind them where the bus was, she saw Nathan. He beckoned, and she followed.

“I’m sorry to do this to you, Miss Abbott, but I think I saw you talking to her earlier.” The ‘her,’ Nathan indicated with a nod of his head, was a freshman from her school. Correction, Missy Fredericks was now an exceedingly drunk freshman from her school.

“Thank you, Midshipman. I’ll get her back to school.” Heidi noticed the panicked look on Missy’s face, and got her pointed over the bushes before she emptied her stomach. “I hope I can keep her from being expelled.”

Heidi looked Nathan full in the face. He looked grim. “I appreciate your finding me rather than our official chaperone.”

“Is there someone you trust to make sure she gets where she needs to go?”

“Yes, Midshipman.” Heidi was puzzled.

“Please call me Nathan.”

“And I’m Heidi. I’ll be right back.”

It only took her a few minutes to hand Missy over to a group of sophomores she trusted and to start herding them to the bus. She asked the main chaperone for permission to go and say goodbye to someone.

Less than five minutes later, she was back.

“So Nathan, how did you find her?”

“I heard her yell. Found two of my...” He could barely speak the phrase between clenched teeth. “Two of my fellow midshipmen with her. I don’t know how long they’d been giving her drinks, but I didn’t like what I saw.”

“All right.” Heidi had noticed that Missy’s blouse wasn’t buttoned straight and one of her shoes had a cracked heel. Nathan’s reticence painted a more vivid picture than words could.

“I was out without permission tonight,” Nathan admitted. “Anyone was allowed to attend the dance, but only upperclassmen had permission to leave the campus.”

“Which is why you danced with me so blatantly earlier, everyone would remember seeing you.”

“I danced with you because I thought you were the prettiest girl in the room. The other part was just a bonus.”

“Be that as it may...”

“Those men should be on report.”

“Missy is thirteen. She got into high school a year early. I think being on report is the least they should face.”

“Crap.” Nathan closed his eyes and thought. “Excuse me. I didn’t mean…”

“I’ve heard worse.”

He nodded. “Let me walk you to your bus.”

“Of course, Nathan.”

“May I have your address? To attest to Missy’s state when I came to get you?”

“Of course. I thought…”

Nathan seemed to read her mind. “Yes, I’ll put myself on report. They deserve what they’ll get. If I’m lucky, my punishment for being AWOL won’t be as bad.”

“Thank you.”

“It will keep me on the right side of the honor code. My record is clean. It shouldn’t hurt too much.”

“It seems I owe you a great deal of thanks, Nathan.”

He pulled her to one side, out of the light. “Let me write to you.”

“You were meeting a girl tonight?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t send back your letters, but I won’t write back. You have a girlfriend, and I won’t get in the way of that.”

Nathan took her hand and walked her farther down the path. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

When they got to the bus, Nathan took her completely by surprise by saying, “You’re a good woman, Heidi.” He kissed her cheek. “I like you.”

***

It was nearly five years before they met again. Heidi was working on a Master’s in Art History at Columbia. Some days, she needed a break, so today, she decided to go to the Natural History Museum.

After about an hour, she noticed Nathan from across the room; it took her a moment to place him. There was a young teenaged boy with him, and they seemed to be joking about some of the exhibits. For nearly an hour, her path criss-crossed theirs at odd intervals Nathan and his companion looked to be enjoying themselves.

Heidi stopped in the ladies’ room at one point, and walked right into Nathan as she came out.

“It’s good to see you again.”

“And you, Nathan.”

He turned to the dark-eyed teenager with him. “This is my little brother, Peter Petrelli. Pete, this is Heidi Abbott. We met while I was at Annapolis.” She noticed how smoothly he’d slipped in his family name, in case she’d forgotten, and made it clear he hadn’t forgotten hers.

Heidi held out her hand, and Peter shook it politely. “It’s nice to meet you, but Nathan and I are in kind of a hurry.”

“Excuse me a minute, Heidi.” Nathan took his brother aside and had a few words with him. The only thing she heard came from Peter. “I know how you get around girls.” She could practically hear the eye-roll accompanying the statement as she pretended to be fascinated by the apple growing cycle in Dutchess County. There was another minute of whispering and then Peter walked off with a smile toward the Planetarium.

Nathan returned to her with a smile. “We already have tickets. He was worried about getting good seats, so he’s going to wait in line.”

“I take it you don’t get much time with him.”

“It’s more that I’m shipping out in three days. I think he’s worried about me.”

“You’re still in the Navy?”

“They didn’t kick me out for going off the campus, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Heidi blushed. “I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right.”

“Fair enough.”

They started to wander toward the line where Peter was waiting. “Look Heidi, I promised Peter today and tonight. I have a family obligation the night before I leave, but could I have lunch or dinner with you tomorrow?”

“I take it you’re not seeing anyone?”

“Not at the moment, no.”

“Which would you rather?”

“I’d like to take you out to dinner and then go to a club and all the rest, but I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

“Dinner it is. We’ll see about the club.”

Nathan looked surprised. “May I pick you up or would you rather meet me at the restaurant?”

“I’ll meet you.” She took out a pad of paper and wrote out her phone number. “Call me and let me know when and where. I get out of class at five, so we can eat early if you want.”

Peter was waving at Nathan to hurry up. The line was moving. “Go on, don’t keep your brother waiting.” Nathan grinned at her, and then ran to join his brother.

***

Dinner was a little earlier than fashionable, but it didn’t matter because the restaurant was excellent. Nathan explained when he told her where to meet him that the early time was the only reservation available. After seeing the way the captain and the waiters greeted him, Heidi suspected that no reservation had been available at all. They’d simply made room and made an exception for Nathan Petrelli.

Growing up in Annapolis, she was used to seeing the midshipmen in their uniforms, and it was always telling the first time she saw someone in mufti. Nathan had looked comfortable in jeans and a sweater the day before, but seeing him in a suit cemented her understanding of who he was and what he came from. In her mother’s generation, the file card would have said ‘marriage material.’

When the appetizers were served, she turned from the waiter and asked, “Tell me the worst thing you know about yourself.”

“Know about myself or the worst thing I’ve done?”

It pleased her that Nathan wasn’t shying away from the question. “Since you make the distinction, both.”

“If I don’t … police … myself, I use people. The night that we met, for instance, I knew you were the person most likely to keep the girl out of serious trouble and to keep me from the much greater consequences that would have occurred had I called the authorities.”

“But there were consequences. I received a letter from the commandant telling me those men had been expelled and charges filed.”

“For me, it was a full semester of punishment detail. It prevented my taking the highest midshipman rank when my class became eligible. But believe me, my personal consequences might have been far worse if I hadn’t used you as a buffer.”

“I was mostly a buffer for Missy. She was confined to campus for the rest of the year. But as you say, if the police had been called, she would probably have been expelled too.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t try to find the best solution for everyone involved – just that I look to myself, or my family, first.”

“And the worst thing you’ve ever done? Since you made the distinction.”

“I got my girlfriend pregnant. Midshipmen don’t have permission to marry. So, I let my family settle a sum on the child and help her get back to her people in Texas until after I graduated. At that point, I figured I could get permission and ‘do the right thing’ as they say.”

“I don’t see a wedding band.”

“There was a fire. They died.”

Heidi could practically see the wall come up around him. She took refuge in platitudes. “I’m sorry.”

“The worst part was how relieved I felt.” The words were quiet.

“Did you want them dead?”

Nathan looked at her sharply. “No. But the pregnancy made it very clear that Meredith and I were only … a phase for each other. There was nothing but sex between us. If she and the baby had lived, I would have tried to make it work. We might even have succeeded, but I’m not sure it would have been the best thing for any of us.”

Heidi decided to meet confidence with confidence. “The worst thing I can say about myself is that I lack passion. I keep my head in a crisis. I do well at most things I set out to do, but I’ve never wanted something or someone enough to take risks. I’ll get my master of fine arts. I may do something further with it, but it won’t be because I love it or feel strongly about sharing art or even the responsibility we have as a society to share great art with people who can’t afford it. I’ll do it because it’s what I have my degree in.”

Nathan smiled gently at her. “My life was planned out from birth. And I followed the plan, even enhanced it a bit. Being Peter’s brother was the first thing that changed me. But the first time I flew at the academy, I knew this was the most important thing I’d found. I changed my life to learn to fly fighter jets and just … connect with the sky. Maybe you just haven’t found the someone or something yet.”

“Maybe. But I’ve heard one of my six year old cousins talk about robots with more conviction than I have about Rembrandt.”

That got a laugh from Nathan. “Ask your folks what you talked about when you were six. Maybe you’ll rediscover a passion.”

***

Later they walked through the city talking about anything that kept them together. Heidi was never quite sure why she did it, but, after a particularly bad pun on Nathan’s part, she grabbed his tie and pulled him into a kiss.

“If that’s lack of passion, I worry about your definition,” Nathan teased her quietly, his voice rough against her ear. Heidi turned her face towards him and captured his lips again.

It was her turn to whisper. “If you hail a cab, we can be at my place in ten minutes.”

Nathan held her shoulders and stepped away to look in her eyes. “I’m getting on a ship the day after tomorrow. I have family commitments tomorrow that mean I won’t be able to see you. All we’d have is tonight.”

She stepped toward him and cupped his face in her hands. “Tonight’s enough.” Heidi watched him closely. Nathan was going through some type of internal struggle. He pulled her close and kissed her again. Then he stepped to the street and hailed a cab.

***

When Heidi woke up the next morning, there was a note on the bedside table. Nathan had left his address in New York, his address on the ship, and a very sweet ‘thank you’ for the night before.

Three days later, she got her first letter from him. He’d posted it on the way to join the crew of the Roosevelt. She wrote him back immediately. And for the next three years, she got three letters a week from the man she was falling in love with.

***  
Two weeks without a letter had happened before. They’d suddenly all come at once one Saturday. Heidi opened all of them, laid them in order, and read deeply. When she wrote back, the extra postage was phenomenal, but she’d answered every question Nathan had asked and then filled him in on the little joys of her life.

This time, it had been nearly a month since she’d had a letter from Nathan. He was no longer aboard the Roosevelt. He’d transferred over to JAG and requested an assignment in Rwanda. Mail after that was somewhat more erratic, but Nathan wasn’t. Three letters a week had come for the first two months of the new assignment. Now there was nothing.

***

The phone call was a shock. No one ever phoned her after ten at night, but the clock said half past ten.

“Hello.”

“May I speak to Heidi Abbott, please.” The voice sounded young but vaguely familiar to her.

“Speaking.”

“This is Peter Petrelli. I need to talk to you. Can you meet me at the coffee shop at the Museum of Natural History tomorrow? The one in the basement. Any time you’re free is fine.”

“It opens at ten. I can meet you then.”

“Thank you. It’s important.”

Heidi heard the click as the line disconnected. She slept very little.

***

Peter had picked her out of the crowd easily. The differences between twenty-two and twenty-five must be far fewer than the differences between thirteen and sixteen, because Heidi didn’t think she could have recognized him at all.

She found a table, and Peter bought them both coffee.

As he slid into his seat, he said, “Nathan would kill me if he knew I was doing this.”

“That’s ominous.”

“He was wounded in Rwanda.” Peter glanced at her to see if she was following him. The rest was blurted out quickly. “ It’s bad. The spine’s not involved, but the injuries to his leg – well, they’re pretty sure he’ll be able to walk again, but it was touch and go for awhile.”

Heidi sat in shock.

“When did it happen?”

“About a month ago.”

Heidi could only repeat it. “A month ago.”

“My parents got the notification and met him at the naval hospital in Naples. The Navy finally moved him back to the US about ten days ago which is when I got to see him. He’s at Bethesda. My folks are down there making arrangements for him to transfer to a private facility up here.”

Heidi nodded, trying to take in all the information.

Peter looked at her worriedly but continued. “His locker and personal stuff just arrived a couple of days ago. I heard my parents arguing about ‘some girl we don’t know’ and, honestly, I snuck into Nathan’s room while they were out and dug around until I found out what they were talking about. He has a hundred and fifty one letters from you. I counted.” For the first time since he’d started talking, Heidi registered how young and frightened Peter was.

“Nathan kept them?”

“Didn’t you keep his?”

Heidi blushed. “Yes.”

Peter looked at her with understanding. “I kept all the ones he sent me too.”

Smiling for the first time since she’d gotten to the café, Heidi asked, “How many did he have from you?”

“A hundred and ninety, but I wrote a lot last year. Dad and I weren’t getting along.”

“So he saved every letter he got.”

“No, Heidi. He saved yours. He saved mine. The most recent letter from Mom and Dad is there, and that’s it. You mean something to him which is why I felt you had to know what’s happened.”

“Did Nathan ask you not to tell me?”

“He hasn’t mentioned you to any of us. That’s why I think it’s serious. If he talks about someone, Ma tends to find the flaws and try to drive a wedge. She doesn’t care if we screw every girl we meet.” Peter blushed and talked faster as he realized what he’d said. “But she’ll be damned if we get too close to anyone. And she’s always been worse with Nathan than with me about it.”

“I thought he was joking when he warned me about your mother.”

“I get along with Ma better, and Nathan gets along really well with Dad. I think Dad would like to see Nathan settle down. Ma? It’s just the way she is.”

“Since your family is next of kin, I’m not going to be able to see him.”

“Do you want to?” Peter stared so hard that she felt he was looking through her.

“More than anything.”

He nodded, obviously weighing something for himself. “I believe you. As soon as he’s in the private facility, I’ll find out what the policy is on visitors. I’ll let you know and go with you the first time -- just to absorb any fall out.”

“Fall out?”

“I talked to some of the nurses while my parents were in with him. Nathan’s depressed. That’s on top of the pain and trauma from his injuries. I asked the doctor what Nathan needs, but he wouldn’t talk to me. The nurses say that the patients who do best have people around who love them and who work with them. That’s us.” Peter motioned between himself and Heidi. “Nathan will be mad that I brought you; he seems to think he can do it all on his own through sheer willpower. But if he cares for you as much as I think he does, then he needs you there.”

“I can do that.”

Peter closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “Nathan’s good looking. How much does that matter to you?”

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed he’s handsome. But I haven’t seen him in nearly three years. The man I know isn’t a face to me; he’s a mind.”

“His face was injured, too,” Peter said. “It will heal. There will be scarring. I think he’ll just end up better looking – that bad boy thing some people like, you know. But right now, he has a cheek and jaw full of stitches.”

“How he looks won’t change the way I feel about him, but can I ask you a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Can you get me a picture of him with all the injuries?”

Peter was immediately wary. “Why?”

“Because no matter how much you tell me, I might still be startled when I see the stitches and casts and things. I don’t want Nathan to see me flinch.”

Peter put his hand over hers. “You’re a good person.” And in that phrase, she heard the echo of Nathan the first time they met. “There’s one other thing, Heidi.”

“Yes.”

“I love him, too. After the first visit or two, we’ll stagger, okay, so we each get our time with Nathan. I’ll keep the ‘rents away from you, but I need to know that I get to see my brother alone sometimes.”

Heidi was startled by the intensity in Peter’s voice and eyes. “Of course.”

***

The first time Heidi went to see Nathan, Peter went in ahead of her and took half an hour before he returned to the waiting room. After telling her he still hadn’t softened up Nathan, he went back in and took another hour. When he returned to the waiting room, he was pushing Nathan in a wheelchair.

“I’m going to go outside and read. I’ll be back in an hour.” Peter took off.

The silence went on for a long time, and then they both started to talk at once. She let Nathan go ahead.

“You don’t need to be here. It will take a few months, but I’ll be fine.”

“Were you planning on writing? Or just going to let me assume you’d died. Because, Nathan, after a over a month without a letter, that was beginning to be a real fear.”

There was a spasm around his mouth, maybe he tried to smile. “My accomplishment today was using a bed urinal successfully. That may be my accomplishment for the week. I’d rather not share that.”

“Fine. Don’t. Tell me you’re alive. After three years, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to worry.”

“I’m alive.” Nathan’s temper began to fray.

“I’m glad.” Heidi’s tone matched his.

“I don’t want you here.” The tension was palpable.

Heidi looked at her watch. “Peter will be back in fifty minutes. I think I have a deck of cards in my purse. Gin or rummy?”

Nathan stared at her. “Gin.”

She dug in her purse, shuffled, and dealt a hand in silence. They’d each drawn about five cards, when Nathan started to talk. “Peter said he’s the one who found you and dragged you here.”

“He didn’t drag me. He seemed to think that keeping letters means something more than it’s a bother to throw them out.”

Nathan knocked and showed his hand. Heidi added up her points while Nathan shuffled.

“I reread your letters a lot. You showed me the kind of New York that a native never sees.”

“I hope it kept you from being homesick.”

Nathan picked up the cards he’d dealt. “It gave new meaning to homesickness. I wanted to see things with you. Show you the things only a native knows.”

“You did exactly that. Although it would have been better with you in person.”

“I don’t know about that. I get moody.”

Heidi drew a card. “I noticed.”

“I was due to serve two more years, but I’m being invalided out. I never expected to go for a full twenty on active duty, maybe switch to the Reserve at the end of those two, but being in the Navy was important to me.”

“Law school, then?”

“Well, at least I know you read my letters.” Heidi raised an eyebrow at him. “ Yes, I’m filling in forms and reading LSAT books. I think I’ll be good at it. And if I don’t learn to walk without some form of aid, it’s a profession that won’t care much.”

“I reread yours, too, Nathan. Often. You’re good at showing the absurdity of things.”

“Heidi. It wasn’t fair not to write you as soon as I could. They had me on good drugs for awhile, but it’s no excuse.”

“No, it isn’t.” She’d put down her hand and wasn’t even pretending to play cards any more.

“I hate being weak. I didn’t want you to see me. But I wanted to see you, talk to you. I feel like there’s this whole unfinished conversation because I haven’t written you.” Nathan looked broken.

Heidi put her hand over Nathan’s. He spoke again. “I got nine letters from you yesterday. It took the Navy that long to forward them. I looked at the dates and I opened the first one right away. I’d planned to have one every day as a reward for physical therapy.”

“That’s sweet.”

“I think you’re the only person who has ever called me sweet.”

“You’re the only person who considers me a reward.”

“Not true. That’s how Peter introduced me to the idea you were here. As a reward for putting up with all the pain of being moved.”

“He’s a very intuitive young man.”

“Yes.”

“He loves you, Nathan.”

“I know. I love him too. Especially this more adult Peter. He’s standing up to our folks and demanding time with me. He brought you along because he thought I needed it.”

“Did you? Need it?”

Nathan squeezed her hand. “Yes. I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Heidi let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “I love you, too.”

“If I haven’t put you off me entirely, will you come visit?”

“I’ll put your surliness down to pain. This time.” Heidi tried to look stern, but only succeeded in looking radiantly happy.

“Thank you.”

“Peter and I will work out a schedule. You’ll have a visitor every day.”

“Tell you what. Dad and Ma are planning to come on Sundays, and on Friday there’s a movie night for all the patients. So you and Peter work out the other days of the week.”

“Don’t you want me to meet your parents?”

“Not until I can stand again.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She looked out the window and saw Peter beginning to trek back up the hill. “Is it okay to kiss you?”

“Just keep away from the stitches.”

***

The day Nathan got his hardware off was on one of Heidi’s visiting days. When she arrived, he was walking, with a nurse supporting him, around his bed.

“I can’t believe something so simple is so tiring.”

Heidi grinned. “It’s a start. It’s great to see you up, however briefly.”

Nathan grinned back at her as he settled into the bed.

The nurse quietly left.

As she walked over, Heidi noticed Nathan’s focus slide down her body. “Quiz: what color are my eyes?”

Not lifting his gaze above her chest, Nathan answered, “An arrestingly vibrant blue. And they are not going to distract me from the beauty of your body. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a bra before.”

Heidi blushed and took the hand he was holding out to her. “So much for being subtle.”

“I was supposed to be subtle?” Nathan pulled her across his body into a kiss.

“I was trying to be subtle.”

“Ah.” He began to unbutton her sweater and mouthed his way down her throat. “I’m not.”

Heidi laughed. “No, you aren’t, but then I can’t say I didn’t issue the invitation.”

Nathan looked up at her with amusement. “What, exactly, am I invited to do?” He began to crack up when she blushed a very deep red.

“Make love to me.”

“I see, Miss Abbott. Where should I start?”

“Um…”

“I could just give in to my oral fixation.” Nathan weighed her breast in his hand, then bent his head to her nipple. He sucked for a moment then licked her whole breast.

“That’s good.” Heidi could barely breathe.

Nathan finished unbuttoning her sweater. He slid his hand under her skirt while he continued to brush his lips over her breasts. He stopped when he reached the tops of her thigh-high stockings. Nathan chuckled then ran his tongue between her breasts and nibbled up to her ear. “I’ll bet … the rest of you … tastes as good as your mouth does.” He kissed her deeply, probing with his tongue.

“As much as I’d love that, I, uh…”

Nathan pulled away and looked at her. “Talk to me.”

“You’re talking about oral sex, right?” Nathan nodded a small smile playing about his lips. “I don’t feel right about it.”

“Is it a religious restriction or something?” He was honestly puzzled.

“No. Nothing like that.”

“You don’t like it? Receiving it, I mean” Nathan wondered how vague he could be.

“I haven’t, not that often, but I’ve liked it.”

It took him some time to parse this. “If I’ve understood you correctly, you have no problem with my wanting to, how to put this, taste you. Which leads me to believe the problem is in giving head? Sorry, I need to use real words or at least real euphemisms.”

Heidi sighed a little. “I know the words, I’ve just never had the occasion to use them.”

"Okay, then. My problem is I don't know whether you'd prefer it if I said 'I enjoy cunnilingus and do not expect reciprical fellatio.'" Heidi began to giggle. Nathan continued, "or 'my feasting on your pussy doesn't mean I expect you to suck my cock.'" That got a shiver from her. Nathan grinned wolfishly. "You like blunt talk."

"I don't usually like vulgarity, but with your voice, " she blushed, "it's a turn on."

Nathan traced her ear with his tongue. "I'd like to tell you how much I love it when you smell of sex. How excited I’ll get when I feel your clit harden against my tongue. I love the musky scent and the salty taste and..." Heidi squirmed and her breath hitched. He slid the hand that rested on her thigh higher and found she wasn't wearing panties. "Invitations, indeed." He lowered his voice, "I want to make you come so hard you'll have to hold a pillow over your face while you scream."

"Nathan?"

He continued exploring her jaw and neck, "Yes?"

"Narrow bed, bad leg, how?"

Nathan propped himself up on one arm and looked at her. "If you take your skirt off, you could sit on my face.” Heidi looked a little shocked, so Nathan added, “I'd like that."

Heidi scrambled off the bed to get her skirt off as Nathan lay back and made himself comfortable. When she began to take off her shoes and stockings, Nathan said, "Leave them on."

***

Nathan told the truth when he said he liked oral sex. Heidi’s thighs were quivering from the sensation of his lips and tongue on her most sensitive areas. She’d already had one orgasm – he’d mouthed at her mons and just growled deep in his throat. He’d taken his time bringing her to a second peak, eased her over the edge until she felt like she was flying forever.

Now he was playful, thrusting his tongue into her, stroking and kneading her rear, teasing her clit with little flicks and kisses. Heidi was writhing on top of him wondering how he could breathe, wondering how long she could keep quiet because she was clenching and coming and finally bit her arm to muffle the scream.

Nathan pushed her thighs back and slid her down his body. She had no idea where he’d gotten the condom or when he’d pulled it on, but Heidi was impaled on his thick cock while her inner walls were still clenching from her orgasm. One small part of her admired his physical therapy program because once he’d thrust into her, Nathan sat straight up and held her close.

His hands slid under her open sweater and pulled her more tightly to him. He bent to flick his tongue against her nipples, then mouthed his way up her neck. Her wet nipples brushed against the hair on his chest and sent a jolt of sensation through her. Nathan’s hands guided her hips just enough that she knew to grind down against his thrusts.

Heidi saw the pink healing scars on his chin wet with her juices, his eyes dark with desire. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled him close for a deep kiss.

“Sweetheart, can you wrap your legs around me?”

She nodded and complied, suddenly he was driving deeper into her and the movement was pressing against her clit; Heidi threw her head back and gasped as Nathan sucked at her shoulder. He brought her mouth back to meet his just as his whole spine vibrated. Two rough deep thrusts and a low groan breathed into her ear let her know he’d come. He lay back, still buried inside her, and slipped his fingers between them. Nathan’s eyes were fixed on her face as his fingers drove her wild.

Heidi convulsed and collapsed against him and knew she could never again live without Nathan as her lover.

***

A little later, they lay together sweaty and sated. Heidi's hand was wandering over Nathan's body, and he took it and kissed the palm. "I'm a bit sensitive right after I've come." He looked at her and asked, "What's up?"

Heidi looked up at him and her face brightened. "That was wonderful."

"Okay."

"But I was thinking about what you said, you know, about reciprocating."

"And?"

"Do you like it? Oral sex?"

"My RIO used to say 'it takes all kinds to make the world,' so there's probably some guy somewhere who hates getting blown. I'm not that guy."

Heidi nodded. "So you've thought about it, with me, I mean?"

Nathan held her a little closer and tilted her head up. He traced his finger over her lips. "I've fantasized about you in dark red lipstick and watching my cock slide into your mouth. I've never fantasized about making you do something you don't want to do."

"I doubt you were celibate while you were gone."

Nathan adjusted the bed so he could look at her more comfortably. "I was on a ship for over two years. Most of the time my choice was right hand or left hand. In Rwanda, well, the situation wasn't one where I wanted sex -- or food most of the time. But no, I wasn't a monk."

"That came out wrong. Your past is yours. But I want to tell you about my past, and it feels weird not knowing anything about yours."

"You don't have to tell me anything."

"I know."

Nathan thought a moment. "There are a few things that I want you to know. The big one is that I did, occasionally, sleep with other women while I was gone. Other than that... No venereal diseases. I've never paid for sex – not that I haven't been tempted. I've never slept with a virgin. And I spent my early teens at all boys schools, so I've given a few blowjobs in my time." He watched her closely.

"Oh. Somehow I never thought of men." Heidi’s face went blank.

"Are you shocked?"

"A little."

Nathan explained. "Two hundred horny pre-teen and teen boys with the nearest girls twenty miles away? We made do. Mostly hand jobs. The boys who were known to suck dick weren't treated well. I was lucky. The guys I went down on didn’t talk.” He thought for a moment. “And I fucked one of my classmates, so I guess I have slept with a virgin."

Heidi swallowed. "Were you ever, er..."

"Did I get fucked?"

Heidi nodded.

"No. The guy I fucked, it was right before Christmas. It was supposed to be my turn in January, but his parents transferred him in the middle of the school year. Never found anyone else I trusted."

"With your body?" The tension was easing out of her. She sounded genuinely puzzled.

"Not to talk." Nathan hugged her closer. "You went to all-girls schools all your life. Can I imagine lesbian shower scenes?"

"I practiced kissing with my freshman roommate a few times, but my boarding school was in a city. We had access to boys." Her teasing tone was finally back.

"Damn. There goes my fantasy."

"Pervert." Heidi hit his shoulder and laughed. "Where are you applying to law school?"

Nathan ran his hand over her breast. "How did we get from sex to law school?"

"If we start anything now, the nurses will walk in on us when visiting hours are over."

He looked at the clock. "True. You'll have to come early on Wednesday."

"I came pretty early today." Heidi grinned. "Law schools?"

"NYU is my first choice; whichever SUNY will let me in if I don't make NYU."

"Have you ever thought of Johns Hopkins or Georgetown?"

"No."

"Could I talk you into thinking about them?"

Nathan looked at her. "Most law schools won't accept transfer credits from the correspondence courses available aboard ship. NYU will. So will SUNY. I'd lose a whole year if I went to a school that didn't accept them. Besides, my housing is cheaper here."

"Manhattan’s cheaper?"

"I inherited a house from my grandmother last year. Nothing to pay except taxes and utilities."

"I can see how that would be a help."

"Why did you ask?"

"My father's running for lieutenant governor. He wants me in Maryland to help with the campaign.” She clarified for his benefit, “Just for family support, not running the offices."

"Law school wouldn't start until September. I should be out of here by March. I can be with you in Maryland for the spring and summer, if that's what you're asking."

"Yes. That was what I was going to ask you."

"Once the campaign is over, you'll come back."

"Well, I'd have to find a place to live."

"And I have a very large house with lots of room."

Heidi grinned. "Living in sin should be fun."

Nathan kissed her. "What about marriage? Couldn't that be fun?"

"Marriage?"

"I wanted to wait until I was walking to ask you. I wanted to wait until I had a chance to have Peter get the ring out of my safe deposit box. But, since it came up now..."

"Yes." Heidi kissed him. "You already have a ring?"

"The house wasn't the only thing my grandmother left me. When you come here on Saturday, I should have it for you. Or if you want a new ring, you and Peter could go shopping." He saw her puzzled look. "He has my credit card."

"I'd be honored to wear your grandmother's ring."

***

“Got it.” Nathan hung up the phone.

“Got what? And what all that about Vanity Fair?” Heidi asked.

“My mother’s on her way, and Pete’s excuse to get to a phone was that I’d requested a book. He grabbed Vanity Fair.”

“How soon will she be here?”

“Less than an hour.”

“Damn. No time to … do anything interesting.”

Nathan grinned and kissed her. “It’s not usually a selling point, but I can be fast.”

“Let’s see your speed, flyboy.”

***

When Angela Petrelli came in to her son’s room, he was playing cards with a very pretty, if subtly disheveled, woman. Peter rushed over to the bed, looked at both hands, and said, “Heidi’s going to win.”

“She usually does.” Nathan kissed his brother then watched as Peter went over and kissed Heidi’s cheek.

“I brought that book you wanted.”

“Nathan told me he’d asked for it. I think it’s really sweet that he wants to read my favorite novel.”

Nathan looked at Heidi with appreciation. “Ma, I’d like you to meet my fiancée, Heidi Abbott. Heidi, my mother, Angela Petrelli.”

Angela extended her hand like a declaration of war. “Fiancée. Where did you meet?”

Nathan interrupted. “I was at Annapolis. Heidi came to one of the mixers. Her parents lived there.”

“Didn’t we buy you some extra bookshelves at Abbott’s Hardware?”

“Yeah, Ma, we did.”

Angela turned back to Heidi. “Has your family been in lumber long?”

“Yes. That’s why we own the largest chain in the Delmarva region. One of my many-times-great grandfathers started out supplying lumber to Lord Fairfax.”

The tension in the room was thick. Angela added to it. “So you’re a townie?”

Heidi’s jaw flexed. “Yes. Annapolis born and bred.”

Nathan looked at Peter who picked up his signal and said, “I’m going to get some coffee in the cafeteria. I’ll bring it back for everyone – except you Nathan. What kind of herbal tea do you want?”

“If it says Zinger, I’ll drink it. Heidi, Peter’s going to need some help carrying it back.”

Heidi made as if to say something, then seemed to think better of it. “I’d like some coffee. It makes the drive back to town easier.” She walked to the door with Peter.

When they closed it behind them, Peter said, “Walk away quickly. It’s always better if you don’t actually hear the explosion.” He looked at her. “Nathan will win. Most of the time, Ma does. But Nathan always wins on the things that are really important to him.”

“Are you sure I qualify?” Heidi teased.

Peter gave a lopsided grin. “He wouldn’t let you win at cards if you weren’t important.”

She let Peter judge how long “getting coffee” needed to take, and they made their way back to Nathan’s room about twenty minutes later. Angela was sitting in the visitor’s chair, but she rose when Heidi and Peter returned.

After they put the hot drinks on a side table, Angela walked up to Heidi and kissed her on each cheek. “Nathan tells me that you’re Catholic so we don’t need to worry about that. I’ve always wanted a Maryland girl in the family.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Petrelli.”

“Angela, please.” She patted Heidi’s cheek absentmindedly. “You and Nathan will have very pretty children. Finish your coffee, Peter. I’ll let you drive home.”

Peter kissed Nathan on the cheek, then walked over to Heidi and gave her a huge, impulsive hug. He kissed her quickly on the lips. “I think I’ll like having a sister.”

After he left, blushing, Heidi met Nathan’s eye and they both cracked up.

***

Nathan was allowed to go home the first week in March. Heidi had been in Maryland for over a week, and Nathan was going to join her right after Easter.

The news was good. The bones had healed cleanly. His scars were beginning to fade a bit. Several of his tendons had stretched badly, and while the doctors told him that tendons always healed, they also cautioned him that it could take several months. For now, he was on a cane. They told him he would need it through the end of May at the very least and possibly much longer.

He looked at the ugly metal and plastic thing in his hand and resolved that his first stop in Manhattan would be at a shop that sold walking sticks.

***  
Heidi had to give Nathan points for style. Her father had just walked into her bedroom, which he had no business doing, and caught them in bed together. Nathan kissed her and handed her something to cover herself with (which turned out to be his shirt). Then he rolled over, discreetly slid on his trousers, and sat next to her on the bed holding her hand.

"This is what you get up to when your mother and I aren't home?"

Heidi glared at her father. "Did you ever think of knocking? I'm 25. Nathan and I are engaged. Sex is involved."

Nathan looked away to help keep a straight face.

"And you couldn't do better than this, this mafia person?"

"Petrelli is a northern Italian name. We were stone cutters. And somewhere there's a letter from one of my ancestors explaining to his son why he shouldn't vote for Andrew Jackson." Nathan's voice was deceptively mild.

"You stay out of this. I suppose it never occurred to you to ask me for my daughter's hand?"

"As Heidi just pointed out, she's an adult. I assume that her hand,” he kissed the one he was holding, “and the rest of her, are hers to bestow."

"You aren't welcome in this house."

"Fair enough. What about the campaign? It's already common knowledge that I'm Heidi's fiance. It might look bad if I stopped participating."

"If Nathan's not part of this campaign, then I'm going back to New York with him. We can be married there in a week."

Nathan met Heidi's eyes and gave her an inner, "well played," which Heidi appreciated. They both turned and looked at her father who continued to stand and glower.

It was Nathan who broke the silence. "NYU Law School starts September 5. May I suggest a late August wedding, here, to help boost your ‘family values’ platform in the polls? In the meantime, my brother is coming down for the summer to volunteer on the campaign. We’ll share a room at the campaign hotels.”

Ned Abbott finally looked away. "When the campaign's in Annapolis, you and your brother can stay at the carriage house."

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Abbott." Nathan knew enough to be gracious in victory.

Heidi said, "Dad, never walk into my room again without knocking. I'll stay here, and that should help with the ‘family values’ voters. In return, you won't kick if I get in late or stay out all night occasionally."

Her father's jaw flexed, but he agreed. "Done. And now, Mr. Petrelli is leaving."

"Mr. Petrelli needs his shirt back, sir. I'll be out of here in under five minutes, I promise."

Mr. Abbott retreated and closed the door behind him.

Heidi reached over and pulled Nathan on top of her. "You could let him wait."

He kissed her quickly and said, "Better not to. It gives us more ammunition if we need it."

Heidi took off Nathan's shirt. He raked his eyes over her body. "Damn. I want to stay."

"Go. Find an hotel for tonight and Mom and I will have the carriage house ready for you and Peter tomorrow."

Nathan bent over and took one last kiss. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Go before I chain you down."

"Promises, promises." And Nathan shut the door gently.

 

Nathan discovered that grooms are nearly superfluous to the wedding. Heidi was not unreasonable and having the wedding in Maryland meant that his mother's interference was reduced.

Sadly, Angela's influence was not eliminated. It would have been easier for Heidi if they'd been able to marry within their parish in Annapolis. Angela insisted on a Cathedral wedding and found a ready ally in Heidi's father. A large showy wedding would help him in the polls, and Mr. Abbott needed to make a big impression in this election -- which he was expected to lose -- in order to make his run for Senator in two years with the full support of his party.

A Cathedral wedding meant Baltimore, so Nathan and Peter ended up staying there in a furnished apartment, long enough to establish residency. A cathedral wedding also meant that the guest list would be huge and the reception a crush of strangers.

Nathan did what he could. He and Peter addressed envelopes and sorted replies. Nathan wrote the thank you letters for gifts that came from the groom's side.

Personally, Nathan was frustrated, although he and Heidi managed at least one night or afternoon a week together.

One odd advantage of Mr. Abbott disliking the idea of a wop -- and yes, he'd called Nathan that more than once -- for a son-in-law was that by keeping Nathan and Heidi apart, Nathan moved up in his advisory capacity to the campaign. His words were respected; his signature got things done.

Peter came with him and proved to be a secret weapon, especially on the Eastern Shore, where outsiders still had a hard time. He stuffed envelopes and listened to gossip. He photocopied and asked the older women about their kids and grandkids. Peter went door to door with fliers, and found out about people's hopes and dreams by saying yes when they offered him iced tea or lemonade. Based on the puzzle pieces Peter brought him, Nathan shaped Ned Abbott's strategy.

 

When Heidi looked down the long aisle, all she saw was Nathan. He’d only been off the cane for two weeks, but he stood firm and looked at her with such happiness and confidence that it was all she could do not to pick up her dress and sprint to him.

Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze” and her father’s tight grip on her arm kept her walking in measured time. Peter stood behind Nathan’s shoulder, and that seemed perfectly right. Without Peter none of them would be here. Nathan might have contacted her after he was well, but neither of them could know for certain. So much might have gone wrong between his injury and their wedding.

Her father nearly faltered on the “who giveth this woman” because as much as he had come to respect Nathan, her father still hated him. With Peter at his side, she had no doubt that Nathan would fight for his bride if it became necessary. Heidi was pretty sure her father had no doubt about it either.

They elected to have a wedding mass where only the wedding party took communion. There were discussions and arguments about it all, but Peter, of all people, had finally put his foot down during one of the family meetings. In his opinion, a wedding mass was long enough without having to, in his words, “distribute milk and cookies to the whole congregation.” Nathan couldn’t stand or kneel that long.

Kneeling beside Nathan, holding his hand while accepting the bread and wine, taking their vows – all these were etched deeply into Heidi’s memory.

When Nathan kissed her in front of the congregation, she caught a faint hint of scotch under the scent of communion wine.

Later, he whispered in her ear that if a couple could survive the greeting line at the reception, nothing about their marriage could hold any fear.

They had the formal toasts, cut the cake, shared a piece. Then the band began to play for their first dance. It took her a minute to recognize the song, but she caught Nathan’s amusement when the penny dropped. Eight years earlier, he’d asked her dance to the same song. Heidi laughed in his arms.

***

When they got to their hotel room, Nathan carried her over the threshold.

“Why don’t you fix yourself a drink while I go get ready for bed?”

Nathan saw mischief in her eye. “Of course. I’ll change out here.”

“No need to change, just get yourself a drink and have a seat.” She motioned to a comfortable looking chair rather than the bed.

He smiled and played along.

Heidi didn’t take long in the bathroom. She came out wearing something filmy in a shade of blue that made her eyes shine. Her nipples were pinked and excited and he could just see the shadow of her pubic hair through the draped fabric.

“You look stunning, Mrs. Petrelli.”

“Thank you, Mr. Petrelli.”

It was then that he noticed her lips. Heidi was wearing high gloss dark red lipstick. All his blood rushed south.

Heidi walked over and knelt in front of him. She unzipped his fly carefully and took his cock in her hand. When she started to bend her head, Nathan tilted her chin up gently so she could meet his eyes. “You don’t have to do this.”

She grinned at him. “I know.”

Heidi leaned forward and took the head of his cock in her mouth. She tongued the underside and pulled back. “You’ll have to tell me what you like.”

“Anything you want to give me, sweetheart. It’s not every day I get a fantasy to come true.”

She held his eyes as she bent back down to her task. Nathan clutched the arms of the chair so that he wouldn’t be tempted to hold her in place or try to fuck her mouth. “Suck harder, please.” Heidi complied. Not long afterward, he stroked her face to get her attention. “I’m about to come.”

Heidi released him from her mouth. He took her hand and wrapped it around his spit-slick cock. She pumped him a little tentatively, and he covered her hand with his to show her his rhythm. Heidi looked up at him with excitement in her eyes, and Nathan came.

When the wave of pleasure passed, he pulled his wife onto his lap and kissed her. “Thank you.”

“Just a thank you? I guess I drained all your energy.”

He kissed her again. “I think you’ll find my battery recharges.”

***

On a snowy night in February, Heidi decided she couldn’t stand it any more. Simon was three months old, and Nathan hadn’t touched her since before the baby was born.

He claimed to be visiting Peter on Wednesday nights, but he came home so much more relaxed that she was positive he was having an affair. She could deal with it, but she had to know. She picked up the phone and dialed Peter’s apartment.

“Hello.”

“Hi Peter, sorry to call so late, but I wanted to talk to Nathan.”

She fully expected an excuse, but instead she heard, “Sure.” The phone was blocked for a minute while Peter yelled to the next room, “Nathan, it’s Heidi.”

“By the way, before I turn you over to Nathan, want to have coffee tomorrow? Or, better yet, lunch? My Thursday schedule is weird, I have two classes: one at 8 a.m. and one at 8 p.m.”

Heidi was taken by surprise. “Lunch would be great. Where should I meet you?”

“Tavern on the Green. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a really good lunch.”

From a distance, Heidi heard Nathan say, “If you’ve finished flirting with my wife, I’d like to speak to her.”

“Sure, Nathan.”

“Heidi, what’s up?”

She didn’t know what to say. “I just missed you, Nathan.”

“I hadn’t realized it was so late. I should have left an hour ago.”

In the background, Peter called out, “My fault. Sorry.”

“The weather’s gotten bad. If Peter doesn’t mind, why don’t you stay there. The roads should be clear by morning.”

“If you’re sure, that would make it easier for getting to the office tomorrow.” Nathan sounded tentative.

“I’m sure. Tell Peter I’ll see him at 12:30 unless I hear different from him.”

“I’ll pass it along. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Nathan.”

“Good night, sweetheart.” His voice was low and thrilling to her.

The phone disconnected before she said her good night. But she slept well for the first time in ages.

***

Peter was waiting for her when she arrived. Heidi was surprised to see him in a cashmere sweater and wool trousers. She was so used to seeing him in jeans. When she met his eyes, Heidi saw that Peter had been assessing her in the same way she was assessing him.

He greeted her with an arm around her waist and a quick kiss on the lips. “I can’t believe Simon’s only three months old. You look wonderful.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you looking this good since the wedding.”

Peter grinned. “Yeah, well, I don’t often have a reason to dress up.” He guided her gently with his hand around a chair and stayed close to her until they got to the table.

“Still, I hadn’t expected…” Heidi’s voice tapered off as she realized that her comments could be read as insulting to Peter’s usual style.

“Heidi, you’re married to an Italian man. There are two words that you need to know to understand him and all the other Petrellis: bella figura. We don’t give a damn about what we do so long as we look good doing it.”

Heidi laughed out loud. “Nathan tried to explain it to me once. I retaliated by explaining why Maryland crabcakes should never have bell pepper in them.”

“Exactly. We all have things in our traditions that outsiders just don’t understand.”

They took a few minutes to look over and discuss the menu. The waiter appeared at their table, and Peter ordered for them both.

When he left, Peter said, “Nathan’s happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“Really?”

“You on the other hand…”

Heidi wondered where to begin. “I love Simon. And I think I’m pretty good at the mother thing, but I miss talking to an adult. Nathan and I talk about Simon or his day at the office, but I don’t feel I have much to contribute at the moment. Once we’ve put Simon in his bed, Nathan goes to his study. I’m usually asleep by the time he comes to bed.”

“Nathan’s leading his first major case, it’s probably stress. Not that Nathan’s the most talkative person at the best of times.”

“I know men talk. Has he ever said anything about me?” Heidi was flushed with embarrassment.

Peter blushed a little himself. “No. When we were both single, Nathan gave me some advice. But I think marriage is different. Married men don’t talk to single guys about their sex lives.”

“I know there were a lot of women before me. The night we met, he was sneaking out to meet a girlfriend.”

“Not to give away any secrets, but Nathan’s past is probably a bit less colorful than you imagine. Remember, he was at all-boys schools from the time he was seven until he was seventeen.”

“Cuts down on his numbers a bit?”

Peter’s mouth twitched. “Let’s just say, he was shocked to discover I didn’t need the advice he was offering when he came back from Rwanda.”

Heidi’s eyes lit up. “And you seem so sweet.”

“I learned very quickly in high school that if a girl invited me back to her house for a study session, we probably weren’t going to be studying.”

“Now that I think about it, you were pretty young to talk about casual sex when we had coffee at the Natural History Museum.”

“I’d always hoped you hadn’t caught what I said.”

Heidi’s face turned serious. “You know Nathan. Would he have an affair?”

“Are you asking me if Nathan’s capable of cheating? Because the answer is: absolutely.”

Heidi looked dejected. “That’s what I thought.”

“But if you’re asking me if there’s another woman in his life right now, I really don’t think so.”

“You’d know if there were, wouldn’t you?”

“Heidi, you were saying earlier about needing adult conversation? May I make a suggestion?” When she nodded, he went on. “Ma has been complaining that the ‘younger generation’ isn’t helping with charity committees the way the old guard used to. Why don’t you find a charity or two – or an aspect of one of the big charities – and start helping out?”

“I think my husband is cheating on me and you think I should work on charity committees?” Heidi wasn’t certain whether she should be peeved or just puzzled.

“Right now, you have time on your hands. Simon takes up a great deal of it, but as you were saying, there’s no adult for you to talk to. You don’t feel like you’re interesting so you think Nathan’s looking for someone who is.”

Heidi stared at the young man across from her. “Don’t tell me, you’re taking Psych this term, right?”

Peter laughed, “Something like that. Or it could be all the Cosmo magazines my last girlfriend left at my apartment. A guy’s got to have something to read.”

Heidi began to giggle too. “I just can’t see you with Cosmo somehow.” They both quieted a bit. “You could be right. Nathan asks me about my day, but I feel like I’ve already covered everything when we finish talking about Simon. Maybe I do need an outside interest.”

“Any ideas?”

“Well, speaking as the future mayor’s wife, I could start by tutoring or seeing whether I could help raise money for afterschool programs.”

“Mayor. You know Nathan won’t settle for less than governor.” Peter’s crooked grin lit up the restaurant.

“Small steps, little brother, small steps.”

The rest of the meal passed easily in brainstorming programs Heidi could work with.

When they emerged into the cold afternoon sun, Heidi was shocked to see how late it was. Peter guided her over the icy paths and hailed a cab for her. He kissed her goodbye just as he’d kissed her hello.

Heidi felt better than she had in weeks. Peter had talked to her, flirted with her. She was feeling sexy and happy. Chuckling quietly to herself, Heidi realized that Nathan didn’t have exclusive rights to the Petrelli charm.

Later that night, after Simon had been put in his crib, Heidi kissed Nathan and walked toward their bedroom. Nathan followed.

***

The first weekend after Labor Day was, in many ways, the beginning of the social year. In the months since her talk with Peter, Heidi had put her art history degree to good use working with a program encouraging underprivileged kids to come to the museums. Nathan had won his big trial and was being groomed to take over one of the smaller ADA departments.

Tonight’s cocktail party was the first night in ages they’d been out together. Peter was around somewhere, too.

Heidi wasn’t familiar with the Himmelfarb’s house, but she’d found the lady’s room and was heading back to the party. She saw Peter sitting in a small study to her right and nearly greeted him until she realized he wasn’t alone. His head rested against the back of a chair, and Peter made a low moan. Heidi never knew what possessed her to step into the shadows and watch, but she was entranced by the look of ecstasy on his face.

Peter spoke so softly that Heidi couldn’t hear what was said, but the tone of it was tender, loving. When she was finally able to make out what was happening in the dim light, she realized a man was sucking him.

Whoever it was apparently knew what he was doing, because Peter seemed to be teetering endlessly on the knife edge just before orgasm. He murmured a few more words, and the man kneeling in front of him half-stood to lean up and kiss him. As the kiss broke, the light shone on the other man’s face. Heidi stifled a gasp as she recognized Nathan.

Briefly, Peter turned toward the doorway but Nathan’s bobbing head pulled his attention back.

Heidi’s blood went cold. She needed to think, to figure it all out.


End file.
